IRELAND'S prison guards have reacted angrily to plans to privatise their duties throughout the country, including at the new €300m Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) facility due to open next month.

The CCJ complex, near the Phoenix Park in Dublin, will hold its inaugural case hearing later this month after two-and-a-half years of construction.

However, the Prison Officers Association (POA) said that safety and the control of prisoners will be put in jeopardy if their role as escort is axed.

In a meeting in Government Buildings earlier this month, the POA said a number of cost-cutting options were raised including a private security service to supervise prisoners making court appearances.

Those currently in the role would most likely be re-deployed to fill vacant wings in prisons that are due to come into service.

"We are taking it incredibly seriously. In fairness, when you look at other countries like the UK, when you open the door, how far does the door open? And in our case, when you open the cell door, how far do you open it until you get hit?" said a POA spokesman.

"It absolutely will [raise safety concerns]. You could be training to become a prison officer or a guard for 20 years. It's on-the-job experience that counts."

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said there are no plans to privatise the service "at this point in time".

The dispute between the union and prison authorities is completely independent of the Courts Service of Ireland, which will run the new CCJ facility.

Arrangements are now in place for its press launch next week and the €298m complex – the price covers running costs for the next 25 years – is expected to be fully operational by next January.

It has been built on a two-and-a-half acre site which previously housed a munitions factory up to the Second World War and, later, a garda compound for seized cars.

The property was already in the ownership of the state and the ambitious project represents the largest investment in courts infrastructure since the Four Courts was built in 1796.

While it will be 11 stories high, it may not appear so given that it is built in a natural hollow, obscuring the view of several of its lower floors.

Given that the Four Courts was designed purely with civil cases in mind, the new building will have state-of-the-art security arrangements. It has been especially designed to safeguard against third parties interfering with witnesses or members of juries in criminal cases.

As is the case in many countries, media crews will no longer be able to capture traditional images of prisoners being led in and out of prison vans. There will only be one public entrance and exit.

There will be holding cells with a capacity for 100 prisoners, far in advance of current arrangements.

On Wednesday next week there will be a sitting of the Central Criminal Court, the first sitting in the building, although details of the exact case have not been released.

Over the next couple of weeks, staff will operate 'mock' trials in order to test the facilities in the hope of a smooth transition period.

Between December and January the District Courts, Court of Criminal Appeal, Special Criminal Court, Central and Circuit Criminal Courts will all move in.